Life Beside Christ
The Life Beside Christ podcast was started to help spread the Word of God and the love of Jesus to people who are young in their faith or curious about christianity and need a place to start. Follow along the discussions and learning with your hosts of two brothers and close friend; Brady Hays, Carter Hays, and Levi Parkevich.
Life Beside Christ
Finding Purpose Through Faith and Redemption | ft. Bailey Johnson
What happens when God interrupts your comfortable college life with an unexpected divine encounter? For Bailey Johnson, a single phone call changed everything when a stranger prayed over her, revealing intimate details of her life that no one could have known.
Bailey's journey from softball player to spiritual seeker unfolds as she candidly shares the messy reality of finding faith in college—those exhilarating early days of devotion followed by difficult seasons where she felt torn between her newfound faith and campus social pressures. With refreshing honesty, she describes attending church hungover, questioning if God even wanted her there, and the shame that often followed these contradictions.
When an unexpected pregnancy during her senior year left Bailey facing motherhood alone, her faith was tested in profound ways. Now raising a two-year-old son, she reflects on how parenting has become one of her greatest spiritual teachers: "He speaks to me through my kid like no other." This transformative experience led her to create both a 21-day devotional called "Desiring Him" and launch the "Coffee Christ in Real Life" podcast, where she interviews fellow believers about their authentic faith journeys.
What makes Bailey's testimony so compelling is her willingness to acknowledge the non-linear nature of spiritual growth. "You're going to go through different seasons of being super on fire for God, and you're going to go through seasons where you feel really far away," she explains, offering encouragement to listeners navigating similar challenges. Her powerful reminder that "good fruit takes time" creates space for those wrestling with their own inconsistent spiritual journeys.
Whether you're a longtime believer, someone curious about faith, or somewhere in between, Bailey's story demonstrates how God pursues us even when we're running in the opposite direction. Her journey reminds us that transformation isn't about perfection but about keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus through every valley and mountaintop.
Ready to hear more authentic faith stories? Follow Bailey's podcast "Coffee Christ and RealLife" on Instagram, YouTube, and Spotify, and be sure to subscribe to Life Beside Christ for more conversations that bring faith into everyday life.
Find them here!
Instagram: @coffee.christ.and.reallife
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1mTS8OS0pwOuhQFAvVTJ9t?si=028f1196f0454d1f
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@CoffeeChristRealLife
We love hearing from our listeners whether it's criticism, advice, or just thoughts on the conversation we had. Find us or reach out to us here:
•Email: lifebesidechristpod@gmail.com
•Instagram: @lifebesidechristpodcast
•Intro/Outro Music: "Our Days" by David Hays
Welcome back to the Life Beside Christ podcast. I think we got a good one for you today, the last one. If you haven't, I did a horrible job. I don't think I posted anything on social media about when I posted that episode. So if you haven't listened to the last episode with David and Adam, go back, listen to it. It was a good one. And then, since I always forget this at the end, find us on Instagram at life beside Christ podcast or email us at life beside Christ pod at gmailcom. Um, like I said, I think we've got to go into today. We have a guest. Her name is Bailey Johnson, I guess an old friend. We went to high school together in Iowa and then part of why she's on the podcast today is to talk about something new that she started and I'll kind of hand it over to her.
Speaker 2:This is Bailey Johnson.
Speaker 1:Yeah, thanks for having me. Yeah, me and Levi go back to the good old high school days. It seems like this shouldn't be as far as it actually is.
Speaker 2:I know, Like it was. How many years is that?
Speaker 1:Well, I mean seven.
Speaker 2:This is my.
Speaker 1:I just finished my fourth year teaching four years of college, so nine plus years ago.
Speaker 2:Now it's yeah, that's really weird to think about, not fun to think about honestly no, it means we're getting old, um, but yeah, I I met Levi through school, um, and I could probably attest for both of us that we're not the same people that we used to be then as we are now. So we'll probably get to learn a little bit about each other on this episode and just kind of how God has worked in our life. I'm a mom to a little two-year-old. He's kind of in a crazy toddler stage right now, so I'm constantly chasing him around. After I graduated high school, I moved to Minnesota. I played softball at a four-year school up here and then thought I was going to be moving back to Iowa after I graduated and I did for a year and then God brought me right back here. So I've been here for about almost two years or two and a half years now and I work at the school that I graduated from and yeah, that's kind of where I'm at yeah, plenty of things to keep you busy, right so Mm-hmm.
Speaker 1:So we've talked a little bit about this, but I'm going to kind of let Bailey share as much or as little as she wants about, I guess, her introduction to God and Jesus. I think the timing of both of our stories, I guess and meeting Jesus was relatively similar in that we didn't grow up in the church. But I'll let you kind of share a little bit more about how that all started for you.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah. So Levi and I had previously talked about it, but I didn't really grow up going to church Like I knew of God. It was never like I didn't believe in God, but I never knew you could have like a personal relationship like I have with him today. It was more so I thought you just go to church, do, you know, do good things and then you get to heaven, type of thing. I'd go to like Wednesday night church here and there, but I would never consistently go and you know I'd pray when I needed things go and you know I'd pray when I needed things, um.
Speaker 2:So I think the turning point for me was um, going to college. You know you're on your own, you are used to having your parents around doing all the little things for you and, um, it was funny because before I, like, actually gave my life to Christ, I remember, um, I got this devotional from one of my high school coaches in softball and it was a Jesus Calling devotional and I just brought it to college with me and then I noticed I found myself actually reading it in my dorm rooms and then starting to pray a little bit. So I was like praying and stuff before I actually realized I was doing all that. And then it kind of took some suffering and some trials for me to find God. I was in a relationship for about two years and it ended up just kind of going south and didn't end very great, but it led me to the best thing and that is Jesus. So how I got saved is kind of a funny story.
Speaker 2:I actually was kind of in an argument with my boyfriend at the time and he was trying to save the relationship. I was about ready to just be like, yeah, I'm done with this, and he was like I really need you to talk to this guy. And I had no idea what he was talking about. I was like what is this guy gonna do for our relationship? Anyway, I was like whatever, so I'm talking to this guy and he was trying to like kind of give us advice on our relationship and whatnot. And he was just like, can I pray for you? And I was like Sure, so he started praying for me and then he just started praying all of these things about my life that like nobody knew about. And I'm sitting there just like shocked, like and I would say that was the first time where I was like okay, god is really real. Like nobody should have known that stuff. And so I ended up giving my life to Christ on the phone that night and didn't really know like what was going to happen next or like what that looked like. And didn't really know like what was going to happen next or like what that looked like. But after that I left that relationship. I just I knew that's not who the Lord had for me and it wasn't perfect after that by any means. But I did find a church that I really liked and they welcomed me like family and I had God just like specifically placed the right people in my life to disciple me and just really show me what a real, true relationship with God looks like. It wasn't religion, but it was a relationship. And so, yeah, and at the time, like I mentioned, I'm in college, so right away I'm on fire for God. Fire for God.
Speaker 2:I created a blog, I got baptized, like I did all the things and like I felt really close to God at the time but still was just a baby in my faith, like trying to figure it all out, and I'm sure you can probably relate to this a little bit. Just like college life, it's so easy to get lost in the crowd and follow what everybody else is doing. And so I went from being on this like mountaintop to all of a sudden, I saw myself in a valley and I was chasing men, I was chasing alcohol and just numbing, numbing all the pain, really Like I didn't. Maybe I wasn't thinking that, but that's what I was doing because it felt good at the time and so I kind of just pushed myself away from God and then I really fell into just shame and guilt and thought God was mad at me. Yeah, um, so, yeah, and then that was kind of what my junior and senior year looked like like I'd still go to church, I was more than likely hung over, and then sitting there like dang, why would God even want me to be here right now?
Speaker 2:Um, and then my senior year of college was probably one of the tougher seasons that I went through in my walk. Um, I got into another relationship and, um, I ended up finding out I was, and I told my son's dad at the time, you know, that I was pregnant and his decision right away was to not have the baby. And I knew deep down, like that was not God's plan for my life. And so I ended up going through the pregnancy by myself and what I guess I shouldn't say about myself. Like I knew God was there all along, but I did have some amazing parents who helped me through the whole thing, like they were even in the delivery room. They, they went through it all. And so I'm I'm really blessed that I have the support system that I do, because not everybody has that.
Speaker 2:So, yeah, and now I'm, I'm here and something I'd say about a year and a half ago. That's when, yeah, a year and a half ago something in me it was totally just God, but something in me just switched it. I don't know what it was, but my heart posture just changed, like I just did a 180 in my life. I quit doing the things that I was. So half in, half out, I was like I need to take this seriously, like I can't. You know, I have a child that God is trusting me to raise and disciple and I can't live like this anymore. So, yeah, it's like I said, it hasn't been easy or perfect, but I'm here and I'm being sanctified and pruned every day.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's one of the things that I was kind of thinking about before. This was how conflicting college is for, like, especially a new christian. Like, yeah, there are plenty of people who are christians who go to college, but I just like the college life, I guess the temptation is everywhere, everywhere, especially like like I didn't live on campus, so I think that took away a little bit of some like, some of the things for me.
Speaker 1:But, like, especially if you're on campus and living on campus, um, just to just to be, I guess, immersed in in college and like I, there are times where, like I didn't even go to campus, like and I wasn't really there.
Speaker 1:But then there was plenty of times where the temptation of things was was very abundant, and it's, it's. You're on your own. You're an 18, 19, 20 year old? Uh, you're on your own, you get to make your own choices, um, and deal with the deal with the consequences at your own, like however you want, you know, and not necessarily everything's life or death, obviously, but it's just when you're coming into your faith. It's two very different sides of it, I guess sides of it. I guess it is that time and I think, both of us kind of coming into our faith as we got into college and after we started college it was, I don't know. I'm not going to say it would have been easier to know Jesus before college, but it would have maybe helped. Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:It is a, that is a, it's just a conflicting life, I guess, yeah it it makes me think of. I don't have my Bible. It's in the other room, but I want to look it up on my app, but it reminds me of romans 7. Um it. It basically talks about just like you have your flesh, like waging against you. Um, I think it's romans 7 yeah, where?
Speaker 1:I mean? Is it where the fight is not?
Speaker 2:against oh or um, it's romans 7, romans 7, 14. So the trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin. I don't really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don't do it. Instead, I do what I hate.
Speaker 2:And so it just makes me think, like you, you know, once you you give your life to Christ and you have that relationship to God, like that conviction, like you might not be convicted about things right away, but he slowly starts to show you like the way to live. And that was the hardest thing because, but I also saw, like looking back on it now, I'm like hardest thing because, but I also saw, like, looking back on it now I'm like, wow, I was actually growing, though because you don't realize those things are wrong until you know Christ, and like you don't want to do those things. So I I look at it in a different way now, like it can be easy to sit there and like condemn yourself and let the enemy tell you all these lies, but like really you're growing because you're wanting to do what, do what God wants you to do, and be obedient.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I think about and plenty of people say it, but I don't know if you ever listened to the Unashamed podcast with the Robertsons. But I think Phil would always say something along the lines of to people who. He would baptize people and say it's going to get a lot harder now, once you're like, once you give your life to Jesus. The sin that you were doing before it didn't just magically appear in front of you.
Speaker 1:It's the same sin, but now you're kind of like fighting with that sin and you know it's wrong and you're still kind of um, letting your flesh kind of take the control of that, and it's just definitely it's convicting, it weighs on your heart a little bit and, like you said, it's it's only to help you realize that what I'm doing is not helping me grow closer to Jesus, it's not helping me live a very Christian life, I guess. But yeah so I guess that kind of does that kind of lead us up into what you're getting yourself into now. What's your go ahead? I'll let you Okay.
Speaker 2:Um, yeah, so now where am I at now in life? Um, life Now. I actually recently started a podcast with a friend of mine from church, and I can kind of tell you how that started. So, my friend Sarah, I didn't, to be honest, I wouldn't have even called her a friend at the point that I knew her because we were just more of acquaintances. Like I knew she went to our church.
Speaker 2:We have a kid that's the same age, and so I remember picking my kid up one day from the toddler room and she was like hey, like I need to talk to you, I just have to tell you something that's been on my heart. And I was like okay. And so she told me about this dream that she had of another lady at our church, gave her testimony in front of, in front of the church, and everybody was just like super blessed by it and whatnot. And she's like I kept like praying on that and like what God meant by that. And all of a sudden one day I was just driving and God whispered like podcast with Bailey and she was just so confused by it because she's like I don't even really know Bailey, like what do you mean? And so I was okay, like I was deep down. I was super excited because I've always wanted to do that. I really like to talk, I'm a people person, and so I was like that's really cool. So I prayed about it and we both were just like in alignment with it and everything kind of God just kept opening doors and just doing what he does when it's in his will.
Speaker 2:And so, yeah, now we just recorded our third episode tonight and really our whole purpose behind our podcast it's called Coffee Christ in Real Life is to have like tough, real conversations with people. Me and Sarah actually have only spoke once in our. Our plan is to just have people on um each time and just let people share their story, um, and just show God's glory and all of it. Um, and, of course, drinking coffee, like we had coffee at, I think, 6 pm tonight, um, so, yeah, it's just been really cool to see how, how god has just orchestrated it all, um. So yeah, it's it's a work in progress. We don't really know what we're doing I still don't um like editing and stuff.
Speaker 2:I have no clue.
Speaker 1:I'm just very grateful for the app that we use because I don't know what I'm doing well, as you can see, I spent an extra 45 minutes before we recorded tonight dealing with tech stuff that I don't even know if I really fixed. But yeah, I get that for sure yeah but it is.
Speaker 1:It's a it's a fun thing to get into because it's something, one you have complete control over this and in talking to other people about Jesus, which is always a great thing, so I guess. So my question is something I was thinking about as we've done our podcast and we've talked a little bit about it, but I kind of have this question what do you want to get out of your podcast? Not what, like what do you want from it? Yeah, um honestly, what do you hope to get from it? I, I guess.
Speaker 2:Yeah, honestly, I think for me it's truly to like people have some really cool stories and I truly don't think everybody gets to like because not everybody is like a public person, they don't like to share everything on social media or whatever, like to share everything on social media or whatever. And so I think something that I feel like the Lord really has gifted me with is connecting with people, and I'm a part of our connect team at church. Like I like finding people who, like this sounds really weird, but like if I see if there's a group of people and I see somebody sitting alone, like I feel drawn to that person because I don't want them to feel like they don't know anybody or they're they're sitting alone or they feel awkward, Like I don't like that. So I just really have a heart for, like people who don't feel heard or people who don't feel seen.
Speaker 2:Um, because I've been there and I've I've been where it feels lonely, I've felt shamed by, like, my circumstances, and so I just have a heart for people who are lost because, truthfully, like our podcast, isn't even know where they're at in their faith, you know, to just ask questions and give a chance to potentially share my testimony with them to be able to help them. Or you know, you never, you never know what's on the other side of that obedience. So we do pray, um, before we have somebody on. Then we ask the Holy spirit to like bring somebody to our mind. You know, and if it's not in God's will like, then it won't. That's not who we need for that episode or whatever. So that's that's my hopes is to continue to reach the lost and go leave the 99 to go get the one. Yeah.
Speaker 1:So that's cool. I guess I should have asked this before. But who would like? Who are you hoping to? Who do you hope listens to your podcast? Is it the new christian? Is it the christian who's wise in their faith and mature? Is it for everyone? Is it more geared towards women.
Speaker 2:Whatever like yeah, um, honestly, I would say I want it to be for everyone. Like my grandpa, my grandpa listens to it Like it's, it's we've only had women on there, but like I guess I don't know if I should share this, but anyway, I had a dream the other night about a series of our podcasts. Like it was really cool, we were going through a series of it was called something like relationships and we were doing we were hosting different people in different seasons of like singleness, dating, marriage, like a younger couple and then somebody who's you know further along. Um, so, truthfully, like I see it being like a very broad audience that you don't have to be a believer. Um, you can.
Speaker 2:I have a pastor that I listened to sometimes and he always says you can belong before you believe, um, and so I truly want people to feel like that, like I want to talk about a wide variety of topics culture, motherhood, parenting wide variety of topics culture, motherhood, parenting, you name it but just as long as God gets the glory in all of it, because I've done things in life and on social media where it wasn't for God's glory, it was for my glory and I truly I don't care how many followers, likes views. I really don't care care like.
Speaker 2:I truly feel like my heart is in the right spot, like if this helps one person. That's what matters.
Speaker 1:So that's kind of where we're at with it that's kind of we've had similar discussions on our podcast is like if it, if one person listens to it, and it helps them, or even I think this podcast probably helped me more than maybe anyone who's ever listened to it. Just because it won it, it doesn't force me in a way that I don't want to, but, like, I have to read my Bible more, have to open it more, I have to be a little more diligent in my note-taking and stuff like that, and it only benefits me in knowing and understanding the Bible and growing closer to Jesus. But yeah, like you said, it's not. Oh my gosh, I want the whole world to hear me talk about this. I want the whole world to hear about Jesus and if that's one person, at a time then that's, that's what it is Right.
Speaker 1:So I guess you kind of answered this. But the other question I had was what do you hope others get from your podcast? And you kind of said that. But if you had any more to add, you can go ahead um, I would say, like that, your story matters.
Speaker 2:You know, there's I, I've I know people who haven't had all of these traumatic experiences and they're like, well, I don't really have a testimony. And it's like, no, you do have a testimony. And um, so I, I think I want people that are listening, you know, no matter what you hear, like you, your story still matters and God is still writing your story. And um, yeah, I, I want people to feel like they have something to share and um, and it's, it's cool that, like even people that, like, we went to high school with yeah it's so cool that I might not talk to them, but they're like oh, I listened to your podcast.
Speaker 2:I'm like wait what I? Know it's, yeah, it's so cool like I love that, so that's always something that like encourages me, because I'm like you really don't ever know who's listening and paying attention yeah, it is.
Speaker 1:It is interesting to think about and, um, yeah, you'll get like an email or a text from someone that you've not talked to in years or something like that and like, hey, listen to your podcast. Or like, hey, it's cool that you started this um. And so, like you said, someone that maybe in high school they as well, at least to your knowledge, wasn't a believer, or like a, wouldn't consider themselves a follower of christ, that they're like, hey, I'm, I'm going to church now, I believe in jesus too, and it's like it's yeah, it's pretty cool to just one, to connect with people that are also following Jesus and people you know and care about yeah, I think I actually remember.
Speaker 2:I actually think I commented or I messaged you when I seen your podcast come out I think it was a little over a year ago and I was like, oh my gosh, levi loves Jesus. Like I got so excited because it's so cool, because, you know, we just know each other for how we were in years ago and so I just got so excited.
Speaker 1:So it's stuff like that that just makes me happy well, so, and I think I we talked the other night or last night, but, um, I told you this. It was, I think, during it might have been my freshman year of college or sophomore year, but there are times like I'd see you post something on your story on instagram or like you talking about jesus. I'm like, hey, there's someone I know, like I was friends with, and they're talking about jesus like that's that's just.
Speaker 1:It's cool that, um, it's not, it's not confined to people that um again, that maybe you wouldn't expect to see, um, yeah, outside of the people that you see regularly, I guess. But yeah, it was either times where I would see that or other people post stuff and I'm like it, it's cool to see that One, that people, and it's a good thing. I guess. If, like, I didn't grow up going to church, it's great. It's great that I can still make that choice now and grow closer to Jesus.
Speaker 1:So you're always happy when you see other people making that same commitment. I guess. And we all struggle. It goes up and down and uh, it goes in waves. I talked about this kind of like visual in my head. Uh is actually um. Who was? Who was the driver's ed teacher that owned um?
Speaker 2:bret yeah. I forgot Uh Beckman.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I think, I think, is that right, roger?
Speaker 2:No, it was, it was the, it was the female. Oh, Marjorie, or whatever.
Speaker 1:Yeah, if she was a cold air. I don't know why. I had, like a year or two ago I was driving to a wrestling meet and I was I think I was listening to some no, I was probably just listening to nothing, I just drive in silence but I had like this just kind of like visual in my head pop up and it went along with something she said while I was driving. I remember driving, like doing driving time on the interstate, and I was kind of like turning the wheel back and forth, not like crazy, right, I was in control of the vehicle, but like I was trying to stay so perfectly in the lane and she's like you're, you're looking. I remember her saying look further ahead on the road, don't quit. Looking right over your hood and like look further up. And then you're, you're looking. I remember her saying look further ahead on the road, don't quit. Looking right over your hood, look further up. And then you're like looking further up in the road.
Speaker 1:Now we don't think about it because we've driven so much, but as a 15 or 16 year old doing that and it just like in my head it kind of connected randomly, I don't know why my driver's ed, like driving time popped into my head with something she said. You can apply that to your walk with Jesus the same way. If I'm going to look at what's right in front of me every step of the way, yeah, it's going to be a little bit rougher than if I just look ahead and trust that Jesus has a plan and kind of just go with it, instead of trying to perfect everything on the on the road and stay right in the middle of the lane, cause it's, it's not going to happen. You're going to have, you're going to have things that you struggle with and and that kind of knock you out of that lane or whatever. But it was, that's a, it's a visual that I don't know why it's it happened or why it came to my head, but it's one that pops in my head often.
Speaker 2:Yeah, no, that's really cool and, yeah, very applicable to life. Yeah, who would have thought that would have came in handy?
Speaker 1:years later. Um, yeah, I don't really know what we're talking about before that. What were we talking about? Um?
Speaker 2:I think we were just talking about um. What were we talking about?
Speaker 1:I don't know. I guess we can move on a little bit and come back to it. Another thing oh, we were just kind, so I've not been good about we've only uploaded like once a month, I would say like every other episode. I'd like to get more regular and more often, but we just haven't yet. Um, but I was like in my head a while ago. I was like Bailey would be a good one to have on, and she keeps. You know, in my head. A while ago I was like Bailey would be a good one to have on. She's obviously a believer and is not afraid to talk about it or share it. But you had recently, I don't know a couple months ago. It was another time where I was like, okay, this would be a great time to reach out to Bailey and see if she would want to be on the podcast. I just didn't.
Speaker 1:I put it off, but you made your own devotional. What was that like? And you want to talk about that a little bit?
Speaker 2:Yeah, honestly, it just popped in my head to like start writing, and I've always been a journaler, like I love writing. Sometimes I feel like I can write, like write what I'm trying to say better, I don't know, um, but yeah, I just it felt it on my heart and I just consistently um, it's a 21 day devotional called Desiring Him, and I got the name. I was actually reading this book and it just kept talking about John 15, where it just kept saying, like remain in me and I in you. And I just kept like thinking I'm like you know, like we can't get to that point if we aren't like seeking him and truly like desiring him. And I used to just use God as a checklist, like, oh, I just need to spend time with him.
Speaker 2:But, the more I like grew in in my walk and the more I read my Bible, like I started changing my perspective to read my Bible, Like, okay, what can I know about God? Because I think selfishly we can read the Bible and make it about us. Yeah.
Speaker 2:Um, and so just to just say, okay, I read my bible today, you know, and then say you know I did this, you know but yeah so many people use like I mean even myself included like we just check it off, like, oh, I went to church, okay, yep, it's like no satan loves that we just use church as our one time of the week to spend with god, right?
Speaker 2:so, um, so yeah, I, that's kind of where I got the name of it and then I just I let god bring a topic to my mind each day, and so each day has like a little devotional, and then there's like reflection questions that you can ask yourself, cause I really wanted it to be like yes, I wanted to share my story, but I also wanted the reader to like have a moment to sit and apply it to their life. Even if you didn't go through the same thing, like there's questions in there that really like make you sit and think. So, yeah, it was kind of funny.
Speaker 2:When I released it, we ended up doing like a corporate fast at church and it was a 21 day fast, and so some of the ladies that I go to church with they were like did you plan this? Like did you plan the devotional to be 21 days? And I was like no, so it was just really funny to see, like some of the people that it impacted. And you know, just, and it's it's honestly nice for me, I can give it as a gift to people. It's free, I don't want anything for it.
Speaker 1:People can still get that or find it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I have a link in my bio for just anybody who comes across my page, like if you want to download it, you can. It's just a free pdf, um. So, yeah, um, maybe one day I'll write another one. It's not in the plans right now. But you know, I I would like to make another one someday with more of like a journal type of devotional, so giving more of like a reading and then a response type of thing.
Speaker 2:So, um, yeah, that's cool so yeah, if you want to know anything about me, it's all in there so is that?
Speaker 1:was that before the idea of the podcast same time after? How did that kind of align with getting to the podcast?
Speaker 2:Yeah, that was before the podcast. So I probably worked on this devotional. Looking back on it now I have no idea how I did it, but I was finishing up my master's this past fall and that's when I started. The devotionalional was towards the end of the semester, so I probably started it in like October, november ish, and I released it in January. So yeah, it was, it was before the podcast. The podcast kind of came about, I, I'd say, in March of this year, um, and it took a while for us to like really pray and plan and it, just, like I said, it all worked out. We record in her basement, um, and she has a cute little like setup down there. So, yeah, um, yeah, it wasn't in my like my plans at all. It definitely the Lord put it on my heart because I would have never like thought to do that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so yeah, that's. It's pretty cool that I mean I don't know if I would trust myself to be able to when I've started writing, I guess stuff. I go on and on and on, Like I don't know if I could have put my words in a compact way that people would actually read.
Speaker 1:But that's cool that you did that. So if you don't have anything else to share about, I guess kind of at the front of your mind about the podcast, I have a few questions to just talk about that. I enjoy asking people, especially people that didn't grow up in the church.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I don't really have anything else to say besides like I think it's really cool what you're doing and just your podcast, and you know for how long you've been doing it. Like it's cool to see you stick with it and I'm sure it blesses people that you don't even realize.
Speaker 1:So I just wanted to say that as an encouragement and yeah, yeah, it's pretty fun and everyone, like when we've had guests on here, they're like, oh my gosh, that was so fun. I'm like I'm stressed about it, so I'm glad you had fun. But yeah, I'm stressed about it, so I'm glad you had fun. But yeah, it's enjoyable just to sit and talk with people and I don't know, I guess not to put you on the spot, but have you ever had a time where you weren't in a church setting or something like that, where you had a conversation about Jesus with someone? Like that's such a different feeling and there's almost a little bit of like adrenaline behind it, like with it because you're nervous and stuff like that it's a different setting than that.
Speaker 1:I don't know it just kind of. I don't know why it popped up, but it just is there. Is that ever had been a moment for you?
Speaker 2:yeah, honestly a lot um that's good the job that I, and that's it's something. It's funny because it fear of man is something I struggle with. You know, like, I can post on my own personal like, instagram and stuff and like. I have no problem with that. Yeah, because, like the people who follow me, like, if you want to follow me, that's on your own choice. You can unfollow. If you want to follow me, that's on your own choice. You can unfollow me. If you want, like. If you don't want to see my stuff, I'm not offended by that, um, but like, in person, one-on-one with somebody, like, especially like where I work.
Speaker 2:I work at a public university, um, and there's a lot of different, you know, views and cultures and just religions that are there, and the biggest thing that, like, the Lord has really challenged me with is one being bold and also like learning how to love people better, because I think the church as a whole. We can be so quick to judge and condemn, and myself included, I've, I've, I've done that, um, and it's hard, because how are we ever gonna bring people closer to Jesus if we're not acting like him? You know we were, we were lost and and then God found us. You know, like, so we need to be, you know, resemblances or like a reflection of him. Um, so yeah, it's actually. It's funny because I have these conversations and just these promptings by the holy spirit all the time, and it's not like a.
Speaker 1:You have to share the gospel with this person, but like like oh my gosh, give your life to jesus right now or you're gonna die. It's because it's, I think that's what people. I think that part scares people a little bit. It's like, oh my gosh, I have to tell them that if they don't believe in jesus they're going to
Speaker 2:hell, it's like you don't have to it doesn't have to be that uh I know, even though sometimes I want to say that because people will come in my office and they have all these problems and like in my head I'm like, oh, you just have an answer for you, but yes, but not everybody. You know the gospel is offensive. It's, it's the truth. It's not gonna sit well with people like who wants to hear that they're a sinner and you are.
Speaker 2:You're doing wrong like nobody, but it's the truth and um. So yeah, I'm faced with that a lot. I actually I heard somebody say one time like you should have a five minute version of your testimony, a 10 minute version and like a 30 minute version, because you don't ever know, like how much time you're going to have talking to somebody and, like I said, it doesn't always have to be the gospel, it can literally be how God rescued you and how God saved you, how God rescued you and how God saved you. So, yeah, I'm trying to think of an example. For example, I guess I have a neighbor who lives next to me and she's been living there for almost a year now and I've been living in my house for almost a year now and I remember somebody. So the house that my neighbor lives in is rented and her landlord was mowing her lawn and I know her landlord because I work with her landlord and I was like oh, hey, so-and-so, and we were talking she's like you know, a faculty, like a professor, lives in this house, right, and I was like what? Like no way. And so I was like, okay, that's really cool to know.
Speaker 2:And so then I see her walking outside and I, just being the people person I am, I like go up to her and I'm like, hey, like I didn't know, you work at SMSU, I do too, and so she's like you do. And so we got to talking and she just like opened up to me like right away, and was talking about, you know, marriage problems and all of these things. And, um, I was like, can I? Like I said I don't know if you believe in prayer, but like, can I pray for you and just pray over your marriage? And so she's like you're a Christian. And I was like, yeah, and she's like I don't really know where I stand, but you know. And so I was like that's okay, like you don't, you don't have to know that. And so, um, it was so cool, because I'm not kidding you, a week later I was, I had been praying for her, like I just was like you know, lord, like it's no coincidence that you put her right next to me, and she came up to me when we were both outside and she's like can I come to church with you on Sunday?
Speaker 2:And I was like what? Like? So she came and the message was literally perfect. It was just about, like your faith being the on the solid foundation. And then she was just like you know, I really want to, like, I want to know Jesus, and I was like, oh my gosh, like I just I couldn't believe it. And so it's little moments like that where, like, if you are just obedient to that little prompting like what the Lord will do, so yeah, that's great, but don't get me wrong.
Speaker 2:I have moments where I have not obeyed the Holy Spirit and like backed out because I was scared of what people were going to think.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I think that's when I think of times where I've had conversations with people. There's times where maybe I started the conversation but I didn't go as far as I felt like I should have.
Speaker 1:And not in a way like you said. It is the truth, so we should be sharing the truth with people. I also don't want to like scare people away with how I present it Not in what Jesus has to say in the Bible, but I don't want to say it in a way that deters them or scares them away. And I think of a couple of conversations, but one cool one I had was I was on a car ride back. I think for our listeners I think I've talked about this before, but I was in a car ride back from.
Speaker 1:It was a wrestling tournament over Christmas break and I was sitting in the passenger seat. The guy driving was one of the other coaches and we were just talking about stuff and he started talking about a video game that he was playing and it's like a, like a conquer game, whatever. And he's like tell me about it, try to like get me to start playing it and whatever. And he's like yeah, and one of the like you can win by like all these different ways, whatever he's like. And then one of the ways that you can like beat the game is, uh, by like spreading your religion in the game.
Speaker 1:So I was like what a weird like what a weird entry here. But here we go. I was like I was like what do you think, do you have? Do you have any beliefs? Like, do you do you follow any religion? Do you talk like go to church or anything like that? I can't remember exactly how I said it, but I was like it was such a like, if it was in a movie, like the movie would have paused and be like well, here we go like this is.
Speaker 1:It couldn't be any more clear to have this conversation here. It's just like um and it was like the next two hours. So we sat there talking about um, the bible and christianity and stuff like that, and I don't know exactly if that conversation changed the way he thought or believed, but it was. Yeah, I guess it was just kind of the point in having the conversation with someone which is a little scary to to do sometimes yeah, it makes me think of um, I actually was just talking to somebody about this.
Speaker 2:Where did it go? It's in 1 Peter and it talks about says in 1 Peter 3, 15, says instead you must worship Christ as Lord of your life and if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it, but do this in a gentle and respectful way, and so that's where I think it gets you know, we can be so quick to point out what everybody else is doing wrong, but like we should be doing it in a loving way, because we want them to experience the same right love that we experience yeah, it comes off.
Speaker 1:It can come off in a way that does seem like you're attacking them. It's like no, I, I I don't want this to sound like I'm I'm trying to come at you about this it's I want you to experience the love of jesus. That's, that's that's the extent of this. That's as much as uh any of us need, and and the rest will follow, but yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and like you were talking about, you know, you didn't know what that, what happened after you had that conversation? And that is always the hardest part, because I saw this quote one time and it was like sometimes you don't get to see like the outcome, you are just planting the seeds you know, um, and so you never know what touch.
Speaker 2:They say on average it's like 17 touches, like true touches, until someone really is like, okay, I, I'm kind of interested in this God thing, you know, or I'm kind of interested in learning more about Jesus. So you never know what number of touch you might be.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so yeah, that's cool. Yeah, um, one question I like to ask um especially again, like, like I said, both of us having fairly similar timelines and in our walk and coming to Christ, what was something that, as a new Christian was was maybe it's more than one thing, but like you struggled with from the beginning, and that not necessarily like a sin, but just being a follower of christ yeah, um, yeah, um.
Speaker 2:In the beginning I would say because of like, the time in my life that I was in, it was sin, because would say like. I would say like, fearing God and not fearing man. Like I, I always wanted to just fit in, I always wanted to be liked and and seeked validation, you know, and that like stems it. There's always a deeper root to those struggles and for me it was just dealing with like, rejection and dealing with um. You know people not agreeing with you know me and what I was trying to do. So I'd say it was being okay with not being liked. You know, especially, I remember I used to look at people who followed Jesus. I'm like that's weird, like they're just Jesus freaks, and now I'm one of those. And so, um being learning to be okay with rejection, that is probably just the hardest, because everybody wants to be liked per se. Um, but it's I w.
Speaker 2:I'm reading this book. It's called Rejection and Praise um by Bob Sorge. I think is how you say his name. Anyway, um, he literally talks about it's either, it's Jesus plus nothing. You have to be okay, like as a son and as a daughter. That God is the only approval that you need. You don't need your coworkers approval, you don't need your husband's approval, like so. And I'd say it's not even something that I just dealt with and I didn't. I don't struggle with that anymore. I still struggle with that.
Speaker 2:So, yeah, I'd say that was probably the biggest thing of becoming a new believer, and even with, like, family members you know like be growing up in a not in a christian household and again, not like dogging on my parents or anything like my parents are great people and my family is great people and actually the lord has like really worked from my walk, yeah, to theirs, so it's really cool, um, but it's hard, you know it's. And now that I'm raising a kid in a different way than I grew up, they're like why are you doing this? Or I'm like well, we don't watch this because I think it's demonic or whatever it is, you know.
Speaker 1:So it's, you're going against culture and it's hard yeah, yeah, I always talk about it, but like, even still, somewhat now, prayer, like praying, was the hardest for me to not necessarily say, okay, I'm going to spend time in prayer, but it was like, oh my gosh, I can't even put my words together, I don't know what I'm saying, like, why would God want to listen to me? I can't even put my words together, I don't know what I'm saying. Why would God want to listen to me? That was a lot of my thoughts, is okay, I'm not going to do this because God doesn't want to hear me ramble and then start thinking about my day or whatever else might happen as I'm praying and just go off in a million different ways.
Speaker 1:And be like, oh yeah, where was I? I was praying and not thinking about the 10 of the 10 other things that happened today. That was a struggle for me at the beginning and and still I, like you said, something that I definitely do now is not getting, I guess, complacent in in how I'm praying, when I'm praying, how often, but that was especially early on. That was one thing that was hard for me was it doesn't have to be this perfectly sculpted, that's I don't know what I was saying.
Speaker 2:Sculpted.
Speaker 1:Yeah, sure Put together put together prayer. I guess, and because it's, that's if it had to be perfect every time like. Just think about how the conversations you have with your friends or the conversation I'm having now, rambling on about stuff, it's like that's how you connect with people. It's not um it's not this perfectly worded uh essay or prayer that that god wants to hear. He wants to be uh close to you and you know and have a personal relationship with you, so it's okay if prayer is a little messy that was yeah, and he wants to hear about your day.
Speaker 2:Yeah, like I talk to him all the time. When I'm getting annoyed at work, I'm like god, I need you right now. I need you to like, calm me down, because I want to react in a fleshly way, right, you know, but like he cares about all the little details yeah, that's um, and then like to go along with that.
Speaker 1:I because I don't. I guess the the past, I don't know six or seven years have gone, faster than I realize, but I kind of in my head still kind of consider myself a newer Christian Probably. I guess I don't know, not that it matters.
Speaker 1:But another thing kind of along with that that I've realized recently is as a struggle, is that the way and what we pray for isn't going to be answered the way we want it to always and being okay with that and learning how to, learning how to be okay with that, that the answers and the prayers are going to be answered in the way that God needs them to be and not how we want them to be.
Speaker 2:That's hard. We say that, lord, have your will and have your way, and then he does it the way I went to a little bit. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:Because it's like at this point, you know, I feel a little bit more mature in my faith and as a Christian. Then I obviously did seven years ago as a freshman in college, being introduced to Jesus, Um, and but the struggles are still very prevalent, the they don't go away just because, oh, I've been a believer for seven years now. Um, they just kind of become more advanced and like we talked about I don't remember if we talked about it earlier or the other day was like, okay, you're a believer now, All right, game on.
Speaker 1:You're going to start uh having some problems. You know dealing. You're a believer now All right, game on. You're going to start uh having some problems. You know dealing with things and things popping up that really get after you.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I feel like the closer you get to God, the more warfare like whether it's with you or your family or your job, whatever it is like there's always going to be an attack when there's anointing on your life. Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:Um, one of my favorite questions to ask is and this can be uh ever or just recently, but is there like a favorite Bible verse or a bible verse that you look back to often?
Speaker 2:um, yeah, I have a few, but I'll have to go with proverbs 31 25. I got it tattooed on me when I was in college, um, and I put on my my arm that I looked at when I would go up to bat um, just like as a reminder. But the verse is she is clothed in strength and dignity and laughs without fear of the future. And, um, truthfully, it just is a reminder to me like I can do all things through Christ and I don't have to, you know, stay stuck in the past and I also don't have to fear what's to come. Like, truthfully, just living in the moment and leaning into Christ and knowing that he's got it all figured out. Yeah, so, yeah, that's kind of been one that's really stuck with me. That was like literally right when I was first saved. Within months, I got that verse um tattooed.
Speaker 1:So I always kind of lean back to uh, revelations 320, I think it's, because again, it's kind of a visual thing, but it's he starts. Here I am. I stand at the door knock. If anyone uh hears and lets me in, then I will eat with them. It's, it's I the the visual for me of Jesus standing at the door knocking he's not going to he?
Speaker 1:can he, definitely can he, but he, uh, he's not always going to just barge into your life and, uh, there might be things that happen that maybe feel like that, but inviting Jesus into your heart and in your life is different. And he's there and he's just standing there knocking at that door and no matter how many times we may shut that door in his face, he's going to stand there and and keep knocking, which is like I said. I think it's a visual thing for me.
Speaker 2:That verse always kind of comes to my mind yeah, and it's yeah, like you said, it's a choice that we have. You know, even the people that we share the gospel with, or share our testimonies with, like, at the end of the day, like it's their choice, and you know, god gave us that choice. So yeah yeah, that's a good, good one all right.
Speaker 1:Well, we're getting close to an hour here, so I'm gonna give kind of a couple I don't know a handful of kind of just rapid fire questions. You don't have to delve into them too much if you just want to give your answer and then, uh, we'll probably go ahead and wrap it up um favorite christian podcast hmm, uh, I don't know if you've ever listened to this, but with the perry's okay jackie hill perry and preston perry really good got it. Uh go to worship song right now.
Speaker 2:It's mighty name of jesus is what I believe it's called mighty name of jesus who sings? It you know, know, let me pull up my Spotify really quick, because it's like a. It's just a, really, I don't know, I just love it. And once I find something that I know it's like yeah, on repeat, yeah, mighty Name of Jesus, by the Belonging Co.
Speaker 1:Got it Favorite all-time movie.
Speaker 2:Oh, belonging co got it favorite all-time movie oh, um, that's tough, honestly, like cheaper by the dozen like I really like that movie um favorite christian movie or show um, I mean, you can't go wrong with the chosen yeah the chosen um, but my favorite movie, christian movie, oh I don't, the shack. Have you ever seen the shack? Yeah, yeah yeah oh, that one will get me in my tears.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it was. Yeah, it's a good one, large church or small church?
Speaker 2:I'd say I don't know. I kind of go to a medium sized church, so I'm going to choose medium sized church because I don't want it to be too small, but I don't know it to be too small, but I I don't know when it gets really big.
Speaker 1:I feel like I don't know everyone and I like to really like, like I said earlier connect with people yeah, um, another one I like to ask is there anyone in the bible that you see yourself in a lot?
Speaker 2:that's tough it is um, because the answer for me is like all of them, yeah, um, I would say like not and always, but kind of paul, like I feel like he's very compassionate and like really cares for like the churches that he's writing to and stuff, and so I would say, for me, I, I think of myself in that way, kind of like I'm, I'm very I've think about others a lot more.
Speaker 1:Yeah, um, where do you see God? That's a little bit of a longer answer, maybe.
Speaker 2:Where do I see God? Yeah, like in my life or yeah. Um, I'd say, like for the season that I'm walking in right now, I see and hear him the most in parenting. Like he speaks to me through my kid, like no other, because I'll be telling my kid to do something and you know the holy spirit's, like Bailey, you don't even do that.
Speaker 2:Like you can't tell your kid to do something that you're not doing and I'm like oh okay, yeah, um, so definitely parenting yeah, and then last thing I guess I'll ask is any advice For our podcast.
Speaker 1:I kind of see anyone can listen to it, but I feel like it's more geared towards the newer Christian, the younger, not as mature in their faith Christian. So do you have short, quick or long, I don't care. Uh, advice to a newer, younger Christian.
Speaker 2:Um, I have a lot um the. This sounds really like simple, but trust the process. Like you're going gonna go through different seasons of being super on fire for god, and you're gonna go through seasons where you feel really far away, or you like I have moments where I'm like god, I really don't want to do this anymore, like this is hard, this like am I even doing this thing right? You know, um, and there is no like right way, but just just continue to keep your eyes, like you were talking about earlier, keeping your eyes on the straight and narrow path and on Jesus, and it's Jesus plus nothing, literally Jesus plus nothing and knowing that our goal in life is to be like Jesus and, as you know, jesus is perfect. And so think of your life as it's just sanctification, refining. You know you're going to have to go through the fire to become purified and so, um, yeah, good fruit takes time.
Speaker 1:Yeah, Awesome. So well, this was a lot of fun. Um, tell everyone, I guess where can, where can people find your podcast, or find you and your host or your co-host? Give us all the details.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so me and my co-host, sarah, can be found on Instagram. Our Instagram name is Coffee Christ in Real Life, and then you can also find us on youtube and spotify. Our name on both of those channels is also coffee christ and real life. There's no um and sign, it's the and spelled out um. So, yeah, if you want to give us a listen, we'd appreciate it yeah, go go ahead and go listen to them.
Speaker 1:We'll put them in our description, um, and then I'll try to do better about posts on instagram and stuff like that when this is up and tag them in it. But yeah, this has been a lot of fun and good catching up with you. Thanks for coming on yeah, yeah, thanks levi yep, all righty. Uh, we'll see you guys next time.
